New Life
by obsessivelyfanaticgw09
Summary: Mrs. Lovett's life sure takes a turn when Sweeney Todd shows up in her life. But what does she really think about her new family and business? A series of one-shots taking place during and after the events of the movie.
1. CH1 New Love?

Chapter 1- New love?

**Ok, everybody, welcome to my first posted Sweeney Todd fan fiction! **

**So, first and foremost, I decided this time, in order to get my stories up faster, that I wasn't going to have someone read it for spelling and grammar. If its really bad (because I stink hardcore at spelling and grammar) or if it's driving you nuts, feel free to let me know and I will go back to having someone read it over before I post it. =)**

**Ok, now that that cruds done, back to my story.**

**Basically, this will be a series of one-shots. Most of them are in Mrs. Lovett's point of view. **

**They all take place during or after the course of the movie.**

**I'm going to try and put them in the order of the movie but if I write more later, then it might not be in order.**

**This first chapter starts just as "My friends," is ending**

**Enjoy **

"Leave me,"

He said. It took me a second to process what he was saying. I was too lost in him, I guess. His hair smelled of the sea, the saltiness and freshness of it all. I liked it, it added a positive thing to him, and his new dreary appearance.

I stood up straight, and obeyed him, all too quick to please him, like I'm always trying to do. I walked down stairs and sat down in the room next to my shop. This was the first chance I had time to think since he'd been back.

First I felt joy, utter happiness. How many year have a dreamed for this day to come? How many times have I fantasized him coming back and coming here to the pie shop? Far too many times to count.

The minute I had saw him walk in the room, I knew it was him. I mean, I wasn't absolutely certain, but I don't just invite complete strangers into my home, right?

He's so different. All these years I've pictured him coming back, never like this though. So dark and dreary, depressing. I wonder what kind of things he went through in all the time he's been gone that made him like that.

But how could he change so much? Was he still the man that I used to sway over every time he handed me the months rent? Was he still the man that made me want to be single even though he wasn't? I don't know, he seems so different. Definitely not Benjamin Barker anymore.

I focused my eyes on the ceiling. Trying to imagine what he was doing up there, all by his lonesome. I almost considered going up and talking to him some more, but I think he needed time.

He needed time, first and foremost to let go of the past. That's one thing that hasn't changed about him, he just doesn't know how to let go of the past, even though it used to be for sillier things then this I suppose.

He once forgot to pay the rent, (it bothered me how this seemed to be the only thing in our past… rent) for a couple of days, and even after he had paid he continued to apologize everyday to me.

"_Sorry about that, I'll pay two days earlier next month," _

I'm almost certain the person upstairs would never do something like that now.

My mind flickered for a second to Lucy. I had done what I decided I would do, so many years ago. I lied. Well, no, not lied, but I certainly didn't tell the whole truth. What if one day he spots her? Walking around on the streets? Would he recognize her?

Like he recognized me?

My distracted mind flickered again, to a more pleasant thought. He had come back here, to my shop. _My _shop. I tried my best to ignore the fact that he did, in fact, use to live upstairs, and there was probably no where else he could of gone, but that's besides the point. He _must_ of recognized me! Not that I've changed much. The dress that I'm wearing right now is probably the one that I was wearing the day he was taken away.

And my mind was off again. The day he was taken away…

Lucy had come home alone that night, I had noticed, with only little Johanna. She had come down to my shop in the morning carrying the little baby in her arms. Her eyes were red as she asked me,

"Mrs. Lovett, have you happened to see Benjamin anywhere around?" I shook my head, not looking her in her all too perfect eyes. That's what I hated about her, she was all too perfect. She continued. "I'll have to speak to someone about this today." I remember she spoke slowly, uncertainly, "Judge Turpin had asked me to stop by today, but I don't know. He makes me feel… uneasy," How she was right.

Lucy had come back later and told me that Benjamin was gone, that the Judge had sent him away, the details were certainly fuzzy, or perhaps that's just me getting old. I remember crying that night. It almost seems foolish now. But it broke my heart to hear about this, it really did.

I heard footsteps upstairs, and they brought me back to the present.

I tried to imagine what was going to come next. After all these years, how did he feel about me? He probably didn't think of me every day like I thought of him. I suppose he could move in back upstairs, but with no family anymore…

Well, this new man, Sweeney Todd, it seems like there's nothing in the whole world that can keep him from somehow scrapping back up his old life… and getting revenge.

My mind started to drift, I'm not for sure but maybe I had started to fall asleep. He can move upstairs again, start shaving again. Fresh start.

New identity, new look, new love…?

I liked that. Benjamin Barker didn't take interest in me, but perhaps Sweeney Todd would.

As impossible a thought as it might be, it made me feel good, and smile when I thought about the future. When just last night I was contemplating how useless life had become…

Completely lost in my thoughts, I almost failed to hear the pounding of footsteps coming down the inside stairs. Benjamin-or I suppose Sweeney now, dragged his feet over to where I sat on a chair in front of the fireplace. He face was emotionless as I looked up into his eyes.

"Mr. Todd?" I had asked after he had stood there for a while. He just kept looking forward, starring into space, thinking about heaven knows what.

"I think we ought to get you out of the house," I told him, standing up. He didn't say anything.

"Mr. T?" And then, after a second, the slightest of nods. I smiled at the little response. "Alwight love. Lets head out to the market then. There's some interesting people there, that much is for certain."

**And that is the first one-shot!!**

**I hope you enjoyed, I'll have more up soon.**

**And don't forget!!!**

**Review!! Review!! Review!!**


	2. CH2 New family

**Chapter 2-New Family**

**Ok, this installment takes place at night. The night after Mrs. Lovett has the idea for what to do to help boast business. This would also be her first night with Toby. **

**And this chapter is her thoughts on her little bright idea, with a bit of Toby too. =)**

**Oh, and as if you hadn't guessed, i don't own Sweeney Todd or any of it's characters. **

**Enjoy! **

Lying there in bed that night I thought about today and had a slight pinch of regret at my idea. It kept me from getting to sleep.

It made _him _happy. It made _him_ so happy. He had danced with me, looked me in the eyes and called me Love. Never had he ever done that.

Doubts crept into my head.

But would it really work?

_Well, of course it would, why wouldn't it? _

What if we get caught?

_No, if we're careful to pick and choose, strangers, people who won't be missed. Who's gonna catch on?_

There was a knock at my door. It made me jump. I still wasn't used to people actually being in my house. I hoped for a second that it was Mr. Todd. Coming down to say goodnight, like any respectful gentlemen would do.

" 'ho is it?" I asked. The door cracked open a little bit, fingers from the other side curling around the door frame.

"It's me, ma'am" A small voice whispered back. "May I come in?" Toby.

"Come on in, love." He peeked his head around the corner, and the rest of his body followed. "Wot's the matter?" I asked as he sat down on the bed.

He looked up at me with his innocent eyes, his face grimy with dirt. "Ma'am?" He asked. I almost didn't hear him.

A random thought poped into my head, I asked him, " 'ave you taken a bath lately deary?"

He gave me a strange look and replied slowly. "No, Ma'am,"

"Well then," I said, sitting up in my bed. "We'll 'ave o take care o that tomorrow, now won we?" He smiled a little bit, though it was a weak smile. It wasn't until then that I realized that I was still in my long dark dress. I hadn't bothered to change, usually I don't. My mind clicked back then.

"Wot were you saying, love?"

"Ma'am," He started again slowly. "First of all, thank you for taking me in tonight." I smiled at him. He was a very polite boy, I was happy he wasn't with that dreadful man anymore. "But I gotta say," He started again. "I have a feeling that Pirelli's not going to be back,"

My smile disappeared. This scared me at first. Does he know about Pirelli? Had he found out? That's impossible, the lad had been dead out on the floor for most of the afternoon until I had woken him up and made sure he was comfortable on the couch for the rest of the night.

"Wot o you mean?" I asked him. Motioning for him to sit closer to me on the bed. My mind was already racing with thoughts of what I would do if Toby had found out and was planning to go to the law.

"I mean, he doesn't ever just leave without me. As awful a person as he is, he never just leaves me anywhere. Not that I would care if he did." Toby had looked down. "You'd think that if he had just been "called away" he would be back by now,"

Alright, good. He hadn't caught on. He hadn't heard our conversations or found the man upstairs in the chest. Thank goodness.

"Well," I said, running my hands through his dingy hair. "Do you really miss 'im?" He looked back up at me.

"Well, no. I guess." He said, with a little bit of relief in his voice and eyes. "He was an awful guardian. I never really liked selling that awful smelling stuff. Of course, if I didn't, it'd be a lashing later. He's a good one for the lashings."

"Then don' you think about it too much. Wot's done is done. If he's gone, he's gone. Life is for the alive my dear,"

He looked at me strangely then. "So you think he's dead?" He said, frowning.

I shrugged. Trying not to let it all blow away. "I don know, who's to say I'm right? who's to say I'm wrong?"

Toby smiled. It was the first time I really saw him smile. I liked his little smile. I hoped I could see it more often.

"Tiered?" I asked him. He nodded slowly. His eyes on the floor again. I think he was thinking about saying something, but he stood up and started to leave the room. At the threshold he stopped.

"Ma'am?" He asked again. "If he doesn't come back…." He spoke slowly. "What are you going to do with me?" I motioned him to come back over.

"Wot do you mean by that?" He sat down next to me. And I wrapped my arm around his shoulder.

"I mean, are you going to send me somewhere? Like back to the workhouse?" His voice trembled at the word. "Or someplace else?"

"Well, if Pirelli never comes back… If he never shows up here again," I whispered "And lets hope he doesn't. Then I guess you'll just have to stay here with Mr. T and me,"

He sat up and looked at me. "Really?" He asked excitement in his voice.

"Course, love." I said, running my hand down his cheek. "All you have to do is promise to help me in the shop. Oh, and take a bath," He chuckled a bit there. It was the first and only time I ever heard Toby laugh. You could tell that he didn't do very often, if at all.

"Now go and get some rest," I told him, patting him on the back. He stood up and made his way back over to the door.

"Thank you,"

"Night love." I whispered back.

"Good Night, Ma'am." He closed the door and left.

Was it just me or did that last "ma'am" sound a lot like mum? I don't know, I was half asleep the way it was, but perhaps it was mum, and I liked that.

Albert never wanted kids. He called them little pigs, pests. For a short amount of time while we were married I had thought it would be nice to be a Mum, but Albert never heard of it. "Too much work. Too much money." He used to say. "Kids are nothing but worms anyway. No good they'll ever do ya. No where they'll ever get ya," I remember how much those words had hurt at times. But I guess he was right, kids _can_ be nothing but trouble. I still wish now, that I had had someone to be here all those years after poor dear Albert died. Perhaps a little child would of kept me sane. Guess its all too late for me now…

I began to think about today again. And about my idea. Making people into pies? That can't be sane.

At the time, the thought had seemed so right, now I'm not so sure. It's strange how you always think of things differently right as your falling asleep at night. Well, it made _him_ happy. That's all that matters right?

Maybe by this time next week I'll be holding him in my arms… it was a nice thought. And I got Toby out of the deal too. I hope he can be the son I've never had, maybe like I could try and be the Mum he never had.

And imagine. We might have good business now. Maybe Mr. Todd, Toby and I can all live a nice happy life together. Wouldn't that be smashing? Maybe somewhere far away from the dreariness of London. Maybe somewhere warm. Maybe down by the sea.

I fell asleep that night thinking about the wonderful life I could finally live with my new family.

**Thank you for reading!Let me know what you think!**


	3. CH3 New Comfort

**Chapter 3- New Comfort**

**I know it is taking forever to get these up. I'll try to start getting them up more often now that school is out.**

**Anyway. This one, well, it doesn't really have a set time in the movie. Sometime after "Try the Priest" and sometime before "Not while I'm around" **

**So, use your imagination.**

**Again, in Mrs. Lovett's point of view, late at night. **

Yelling outside early in the morning had woken me up. You think by now I'd be use to it with the things that happen in London at night. When the yelling finally faded away into the distance, I thought I could maybe get back to sleep, but that soon proved impossible. So I simply sat up and leaned my head against the cold stone wall behind me.

It took me a second to gather up in my head all that was going on.

Mr. Todd, upstairs, oh yes. Toby, on the couch in the living room.

I looked at my window, covered with fabric. The suns not up, I shouldn't be up.

I closed my eyes. Slowly I began to remember the dream I had had. It was still fresh in my mind,

_I was standing, just standing. Where? Who knows, I didn't recognize the place. Well, I was all dressed in my favorite dress, complete with my usual hair-style and netted gloves. There was someone else in the dream… who? _

_Ah, Mr. Todd. He was standing very close to me, much like he had earlier when we were dancing with each other. I felt his hair tickle my nose, it made me smile. I don't know how long we stood there, all I knew was the unmistakable and amazing love I felt at that moment. Maybe it was just me feeling like this, maybe it was both of us, but it was a feeling that I certainly didn't want to lose, such a wonderful feeling._

_I leaned in to him. I couldn't see his reaction or his facial expression, but I still leaned in. And I was just about to kiss him, ever so lightly on the side of his lips, I could almost feel it. _

_And then, a bell rang, like the ring of his shop door. And Mr. T ran off_. _His face his usual blank expression. He just left me there. And slowly, the overwhelming love faded, and I was left alone, still leaning in, wanting him to be there. _

"_Did you kiss him, love?" I heard a disembodied woman's voice say. My eyes closed and unmoving I choked out, "No," Very slowly as I came back, I opened my eyes. "No, I…did… not kiss him,"_

I opened my eyes, back in my pitch black, deathly silent room.

_So this is how its going to be?_

I knew it must be. Him showing no love towards me, even with my despite and foolish attempts. And then him running away to do something equally as foolish, like answer to that bell ringing that meant a customer to his shop. And then, soon, a body to my bake house.

What an, empty, vicious cycle.

There was a soft ratting at my door, making me jump like any noise in the dark does. I was almost compelled to not say anything. To let whoever it was at the door deal with whatever it was they wanted themselves and think I was asleep. But seeing how I was not going to be able to get back to sleep anyway, I mustered up a voice.

" Who is it?" I asked, my voice soft, I figured who it was, and I was right.

Toby peeked his head around the door. "Mum? Are you awake?" He asked, as if it was a question worth asking. I smiled anyway at the way he said Mum.

"Come on in, deary." He opened the door the rest of the way and stepped in.

"I'm sorry to wake you at such an hour," He apologized

"Don't you worry about it, I was already awake," It wasn't the first time he had come to my room late at night. I liked his late night visits. It made me feel good because, for the first time in some years, someone actually thought I was worth getting out of bed for. He sat on the foot of the bed.

"Don't be shy, love. You can come sit up here next to me." He came over next to me on the big bed. He laid his head on my shoulder, something that he does because it makes him feel safe, and loved. I think it does for me too.

"Why're you here?" I asked him. "Wot's the matter?"

It was silent for a second before he responded. "I had a bad dream," He whispered in a childish voice.

"Now, don' you think you're a li'le too old to be needin comfort after you have a bad dream? Don' you think you've outgrown that?" He didn't take my comment harshly, he just shrugged.

"I don't think you can outgrow something you've never had," He said after a moments pause.

I nodded. Well, that makes sense. I ran my fingers through his hair. "Yes, of course love. How right you are." It was silent again besides the quiet breathing of Toby. "To tell you the truth, I had quite an unpleasant dream too. And having a li'le comfort after somethin like that can't hurt, now can it?"

He gave a small nod. Perhaps he was falling asleep again. It almost surprised me when he spoke again.

"If you don't mind me asking, Mum, what was your dream about?"

I took a deep breath. "That's somethin I don' need to trouble you with," I whispered to him. Would it trouble him? Probably not, but I certainly did not want to speak to him about it. Or anyone else for that matter.

"Let's jus' say it was about Mr. Todd, and leave it at that." I added

Maybe, although it might of just been me half asleep, but maybe Toby whispered very faintly, "Of course it would be about him,"

"Mr. Todd was in my dream too." Toby spoke, louder then before. "What a nightmare that was," He mumbled. I felt sleep catching up to me again, I closed my eyes.

"I don't know about you Mum, but he can scare me sometimes," He said honestly. I struggled to stay awake.

"Ah, love. That's jus how Mr. T is. You'll get used to it after a while." I whispered smiling. "He didn' always used to be like that, you know,"

"Really?" Toby said, a little more shock in his voice then I'd expect there to be.

"Course, love," I mumbled. I felt my mind start to drift as I was falling asleep.

"He used to be a fine gentleman, before he was sent away."

"Sent away? Mum what happened?" Toby asked

"Well, love," I said slowly, and for a second my mind wondered how many times I had called him "love" in my last few sentences. "That's a story for another day. I'm afraid I'm far too tiered to be telling' you anything about that right now."

Toby was silent, and after a few seconds he stood up. "I'll be letting you get to sleep then, Mum." I opened my eyes then, just a crack to find Toby's warm face and run my hand down it.

"Go back and get some sleep," I mumbled to him. He smiled, nodded, and walked out of the room, closing the door silently behind him.

Tiredness soon caught up to me again, and I fell into a dreamless sleep.

**Well, go on and tell me what you think!**

**The more reviews the faster I'll post, I promise!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Oh, and to the-sadisticalovett-nutcase- Thanks for the reveiws! I love hearing from you. As for your suggstion. Most of these one-shots I had wrote a long time ago and are just me warming up to Sweeney Todd fanfiction. And honestly, they aren't very interesting story-line wise. But soon I'll be posting a whole story that messses with the movies story a bit, so be looking out for that! Thanks! =)**


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